The Fresh Start Academy offers opportunities for enthusiastic entrants
FRESH START SPECIAL |
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Junior DEFRA minister Jeff Rooker set the tone at the launch of the fourth Fresh Start Academy by apologising for the chaotic payment of the single farm payment last year.
And although this large slice of humble pie went down well with the audience of the farmers of the future, what really fired them up was his upbeat outlook for the industry – in particular, the admission that the penny had finally dropped at DEFRA about the vital role that farming, particularly in terms of climate change, still had to play in the UK.
A positive future is exactly what the 27 potential academy members who braved the weather to attend the event are looking for. And a positive future is what the organisers of the free-to-attend Fresh Start initiative are determined to give them.
“What we’re trying to do is support and mentor the rural entrepreneurs of the future, to encourage new entrants and young farmers to further their careers in farming and hopefully retain these skilled and motivated people in the industry for the future,” says Robin Turney, a consultant with Laurence Gould, who is co-ordinating the Writtle Academy and Fresh Start in the eastern region.
“Something back”
“It’s about putting something back into the industry that you are part of,” he says.
Fresh Start aims to help people to either get their first step on the farming ladder or to build on their existing situation . It provides them with the skills they might need to start or develop a business, gives them access to expert professional help and mentoring and also matches enthusiastic young farmers with potential business partners.
Douglas Jackson, of Laurence Gould’s Burgess Hill office, set up the first three academies in the south-east last year and says those attending have already started to reap the benefits. “A lot of people out of college are highly skilled in agricultural terms but have not had a chance to develop their business skills.
“The deals haven’t been completely wrapped up but I’m pretty hopeful that we’ll have been able to set up some share farming and contract farming opportunities for them. More and more farmers looking for talent are now talking to us and Fresh Start is becoming the place to go.”
One of the innovative features of the Fresh Start system is that each academy programme, which lasts 12 months and revolves around monthly evening meetings, provides the experts who can give the specific relevant knowledge and skills the participants say they need.
Ideas
Those attending the launch of the Writtle Academy were split into small groups along with an industry professional and asked to come up with ideas for what they wanted to take home from the course. These will then be turned into a syllabus by Mr Turney.
“It’s up to me to provide something that is interesting enough to keep people coming back. What we don’t want is for people to just pick and choose the modules that interest them,” he says.
Some of the topics highlighted were financial and business skills, like cash-flow and budgeting, says Mr Turney. But the advice on offer will also look at diversification opportunities, applying for tenancies and other joint ventures and adding value to an existing business.
Andy Guy, who came into farming with no agricultural background and went on to become the 2005 Farmers Weekly Farmer of the Year, said there was a real sense of enthusiasm among the group he sat in with.
“There was an uncertainty to begin with, but people really came out of their shells when they were told that they could make what they wanted out of the course. I was really encouraged because people won’t succeed unless they have a positive attitude.”
A great help
Mr Guy said Fresh Start would have been a great help to him and his wife, Sue, when they set off on the long journey towards setting up their own successful dairy farming business.
“In the short-term it would have helped us to improve our applications for tenancies and other opportunities. And I think Fresh Start gives private landlords and potential partners confidence. They can see people developing over a 12-month period and even be involved in the process.”
And it isn’t just farmers looking to retire who might see Fresh Start as a breeding ground for young talent to work with, says Mr Guy. “You’ve also got those who want to expand or diversify their businesses but don’t have the time to do it on their own.
“There are now so many varied opportunities with the single farm payment. Fresh Start can be such an advantage because it can help tailor specific applications for each applicant.”
Many of the experts who have volunteered to help with each Fresh Start academy will also be available to help mentor the participants – a unique opportunity for free one-on-one business advice.
“For example, I’ll be able to help people wanting to tender for farm business tenancies,” says Michael Hughes of Essex land agent Whirledge Nott and chairman of the Essex Agricultural Society.
“I’m a bit of a sceptic towards a lot of schemes, but this one has a very clear message. It gives people the chance to ask the questions they want to ask. Hopefully, some day, the people on the course could be returning to me as successful clients.”
According to Mr Turney, every person who attended the academy launch has now signed up to participate in the scheme. “I’m really excited by the enthusiasm, they’ve all said they want to be involved.”
As Mr Guys says: “You’d be a fool not to.”
Even DEFRA, which partially funds Fresh Start, is excited. “Food is so far higher up the political agenda than 10 years ago, but it’s important we get the next generation in,” said Lord Rooker, the crowd-pleasing minister.
For more information on entering the agricultural industry and on the benefits of collaboration